Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.1UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.12UNLIKELY
Fear
0.12UNLIKELY
Joy
0.57LIKELY
Sadness
0.55LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.58LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.3UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.86LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.97LIKELY
Extraversion
0.1UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.81LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.82LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Truth Will Set You Free
Intro
Abide
We finished last weeks sermon talking about Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees and their complete misunderstanding about who he is and what he came to do.
But after Jesus schooled them we read in verse 30 that many believed him.
That means that many who listened to him.
Many that heard his statements about being the light of the world.
About being from above and not below.
Hearing his declaration that he is doing what pleases the Father, many believed him.
But then v. 31 can confuse us a little bit.
Why does Jesus feel the need to clarify and or challenge these Jews who believed.
In fact, as we read the rest of the section we are going to see that there are those present that had a fickle faith.
They didn’t fully believe
They had trust issues.
Jesus had encountered this before.
John 2:23-25 “23 While he was in Jerusalem during the Passover Festival, many believed in his name when they saw the signs he was doing.
24 Jesus, however, would not entrust himself to them, since he knew them all 25 and because he did not need anyone to testify about man; for he himself knew what was in man.”
So Jesus clarifies what it means to be his disciple.
What it truly means to Follow him.
And what does he say is required to be his disciple?
v. 31 “If you continue in my Word, you really are my disciples.”
This word “continue” can and is translated multiple different ways.
Some translations say abide, some say remain, some say continue.
But the overarching theme of this word is that you don’t leave.
The true mark of a follower of Jesus is that you don’t abandon him.
That you remain trusting in his Word.
Believing in his Word.
Leaning on his word.
Holding onto his Word.
People saw his signs, heard his teachings, and they initially believed what he said and taught.
But they ended up with an untrustworthy and inauthentic faith.
If we think back to John 6, there were those who loved to eat the loaves and fish.
But When Jesus started talking about doctrine and devotion they walked away.
They didn’t hold on, abide, or continue in his Word.
They didn’t persevere.
They didn’t have genuine faith in Jesus.
They loved the gifts, but not the gift giver.
Perseverance is key to knowing you belong to Jesus.
If you don’t abide.
If you don’t continue.
If you don’t remain.
You don’t belong.
We can like or even agree with what Jesus says, but that does not make us a disciple.
Disciples live out the teachings and replicate the teachings of their teacher.
Not only that they endure.
They continue.
They abide.
They remain.
As a pastor, I’ve had this question come up from family, friends, and even church members.
“I have a brother, sister, son, daughter or friend, that believes in Jesus, but they aren’t following him right now.”
They used to go to church every time the doors were open.
They served in the Children’s ministry.
Momma and Daddy taught them the meaning of Christianity.
They read their bible, they did these things, but now they have gone away.
Well Jesus says right here, do they abide, did they remain, or are they continuing in his Word.
If they aren’t, then they aren’t Jesus’ disciples.
They haven’t persevered.
They’ve left the truth to walk in lies.
Does that mean their is no hope for their salvation?
No it doesn’t, There is still hope that they would come and abide.
But if they aren’t abiding right now, they don’t have or know Jesus.
I’m convinced that the church has does a disservice to our culture and to people all together.
We have forsaken discipleship for convert numbers.
Here’s what I mean.
How many of you have been in a worship service, revival meeting, youth event, or even saw an evangelist on TV that said something like,
“Do you want to avoid going to hell?
Repeat this prayer after me.”
Then the preacher uses some canned prayer.
People then repeat this prayer, and the preacher says “If you’ve said this prayer, then congratulations you are now saved.”
That’s not what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
These prayers have caused many people to walk around and think they’re good with God.
That they are saved and that they have been pardoned and one day they will be with God.
And unfortunately, that’s a lie from the pit of hell.
Has God used that prayer to save some people?
Undoubtedly.
But has the enemy, the devil, the father of lies, used that prayer as a sense of false assurance?
Without a doubt.
Jesus doesn’t say if you say a prayer.
If you perform this deed.
If you go to church.
He says if you continue in my word then you are my disciples.
If there are people out there that you know that have said this prayer, but they don’t abide in the Word of God, then I believe it would be safe to say that they aren’t Jesus’ disciples.
As if that’s not heavy hitting enough, Jesus doesn’t end there.
He also says, John 8:32 “32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””
Later in John 14:6 “6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Holding onto Jesus’ Word means that you know the Truth.
Jesus’ Word is where truth is found.
There is only one way to know the truth, that is to continue to believe Jesus’ Word.
God cares about truth.
God loves truth.
God is the author of truth.
And if we love him.
If we want to follow him.
If we want to remain with him then we have to love and continue in the truth.
This means that we have to be submissive to what God teaches whether we like it or not.
God chose to reveal himself through the pages of Scripture.
What he says Goes.
This flies in the face of our culture.
Our culture of independence tells us that we can make the rules.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9